Inhibition of warmed-over flavor in meats

ABSTRACT

A method for inhibiting the development of warmed-over flavor in uncured meat where the meat is cooked, cooled and stored at above freezing temperature in the presence of certain gamma-pyrone compounds, after which the stored meat may be consumed cold or reheated without the development of objectionable warmed-over flavor.

United States Patent 1191 Sato et a1.

[ June 28, 1974 1 1 INHIBITION OF WARMED-OVER FLAVOR IN MEATS Y [75] Inventors: Kunito Sato, Chicago; Gerald R.

Hegarty, Elmhurst, both of I11.

[73] Assignees Armour and Company, Chicago, I11. I

22 Filed: Aug.4, 1972 211 App]. No.3 278,061

[51] Int. Cl A221: 18/00, A231 1/22 [58] Field of Search 99/107, 108, 140, 159,

561 References Cited 1 UNITED STATES. PATENTS 3,156,569 11/1964 Griffin et a1. 99/140 3,186,853 6/1965 MUSC1 ..99/10sx Primary Examiner-Hyman Lord Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Frank T. Barber; Carl C.

Batz

[57] ABSTRACT reheated without the development of objectionable warmed-over flavor.

, 11 Claims, N6 Drawings l INHIBITION OF WARMED-OVER FLAVOR IN MEATS This invention relates to a method for avoiding the development of warmed-over flavor in meats and meat products.

BACKGROUND has come to be associated with meats which have been this characteristic, warmed-over flavor, and one does not have to be an expert to tell when this flavor has developed. I

The warmed-over flavor does not develop in raw meat but appears to start its development after cooking when the meat has been allowed to cool. It appears to develop best at refrigeration temperatures of 30 to 50F. (-l.l to C.) particularly so at about 38F. (33C.) which is a normal refrigeration temperature. Warmed-over flavor can be detected after about minutes or half an hour of storage, and comes to be well developed in 3 or 4 hours. Beef is especially affected by warmed-over flavor, and pork, veal and lamb are also affected. Poultry meat such as turkey and chicken and the like are very much affected. It has not been known what chemicals are involved in the development of warmed-over flavor, or what the mechanism of development may be.

Further, we have noted that the warmed-over flavor does not develop in the case of cured meats, and by cured meats we mean meats which have been treated with curing agents such as nitrates and nitrites and high concentrations of salts such as the polyphos'phates.

However, in using the term uncured meats we do not wish to exclude those meats which have been salted to taste or contain less than a small quantity, of the order of 2 or 3 percent, of salt, which meats are classed as fresh instead of cured, and are capable of develop ing warmed-over flavor. We exclude only those meats which have been subjected to curing treatments using salts such as nitrites, nitrates and phosphates at relatively low levels of the order of 0.5 to 1 percent on a weight basis, and which would be sold as cured products.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a method of treating and storing uncured meat which will prevent the development of warmed-over flavor and enable the cooked meat to be served in cold or reheated form but having more of the odor and flavor of freshly cooked meat. We are aware of the large amount of work that has been done in adding flavors to meat and that flavors have been added to meats both to improve the flavor of the meats and to mask unwanted flavors. In the present invention this is not our objective. We seek only to avoid the development of the undesirable warmed-over flavor but otherwise to leave the meat with its natural odor and flavor. lt is, of cource, desirable, in our invention that if there be any incidental change in the natural flavor of the meat that it be a pleasant and not an unpleasant change.

We have found that warmed-over flavor in uncured meats is inhibited or avoided by the presence with the meat of certain gamma-pyrones. We can use any gamma-pyrone which has a hydroxyl group at its third or fifth position. Gamma-pyrones which we have found to be particularly effective are 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4- pyrone, 3-hydroxy-2-ethyl-4-pyrone, and S-hydroxy- 2(hydroxymethyl)-4-pyrone.

In carrying out our method we simply mix the gamma-pyrone in dry form or in aqueous solution with fresh ground beef, for example, and cook the ground beef containing the gamma-pyrone in patties or otherwise. The cooked meat may then be cooled and stored in a refrigerator and then taken out and consumed cold or reheated to a temperature such as above F. or to F. (37.8 to 656C.) and consumed while warm. Benefit through avoidance of development of warmed-over flavor is obtained when the storage period is over about 20 minutes or half an hour with greater benefit being obtained when the storage is several hours. Further, the meat to which the gammapyrone has been added may be repeatedly stored and reheated while still avoiding the warmed-over flavor.

From our finding it appears that whatever chemical reaction or other mechanism was taking place to produce the unwanted warmed-over flavor, this was prevented or inhibited by the presence of our gammapyrones and that this effect stays with the meat through subsequent heating of the product and is not dissipated by anything that is normally done to meat such as heating or freezing.

In the case of meat which is sold in a body or chunk form such as a beef roast, the gamma-pyrone may conveniently be administered in the form of a solution, suitably an aqueous solution, with the solution being injected into the meat as by the use of a hollow needle. In such cases the gamma-pyrone comes to be absorbed into the tissues. Application of either the dry or solu tion form of the gamma-pyrone may be made directly to the outer surface of the meat piece.

In the event pieces of meat are assembled together in the form of a loaf the gamma-pyrone may be added to the pieces before they are pressed to form the loaf and the gamma-pyrone will be absorbed from the surface of the pieces. Other methods of application will include soaking the meat pieces in a bath of gamma-pyrone solution.

Our method is especially adaptable to beef and poultry meat, since these meats are particularly subject to the development of warmed-over flavor, but applies also to uncured pork, veal and lamb.

As was before stated we were seeking agents for inhibiting warmed-over flavor development without regard to any other improvement of flavor, and the gamma-pyrones add very little if any artificial flavor to the meat. They certainly add no objectionable flavor, the added flavor, if any, being a very pleasant one.

The amount of the gamma-pyrone used in our process varies principally according to the weight of the meat being treated, 0.05 percent dry weight of the gamma-pyrone based on the total weight of the meat being treated, is about a minimum and about 2 percent on the same basis is about a maximum so far as added flavor is concerned. Of course more than this could be used if added flavor is disregarded. Usually we prefer not to use more than 1 percent on a weight basis.

In practicing our improved method we prefer to add hibition of warmed-over flavor in different kinds of meat which are ordinarily subject to development of such flavor. in each experiment the gamma-pyrone was added to 10.0 grams of ground meat samples. The samthe gamma-pyrone to raw meat, because it is easier to ples were cooked to 158F. (70C) and stored for 2 get good distribution of the agent this way, but we do days at 4C. (39.2F.) and then tested for the presence not believe the function of the agent in the inhibition of warmed-over flavor. Each sample containing the of warmed-over flavor development is effective until gamma-pyrone was accompanied by a correspond ng the meat has been cooked and cooled. The gammasample which contained no gamma-pyrone and which pyrone agent may be added to the meat after it has Served as a Control been cooked as by injection or by any kind of mechani- Table IV contains data on a ser es of experiments cal manipulation which may be used to distribute the demonstrating the effect of increasing the amount of agent and which may be appropriate in the particular the added gamma-pyrone. In this ser es of experiments form of the cooked meat product employed. the meat was prepared and handled in the same way as After the treated meat has been cooked, it may be previously explained in connection with the tests recooled and placed in acooler or refrigerator for storage ported in Tables I, ll and Ill, and all conditions were then removed after a time say from minutes to half held to be the same except for ,the increase in the an hour or up to several hours or several days any amount of the additive. Referenceto the results obtime' up to the time of bacterial spoilage of the meat tained show the additive to be effective for the purpose and consumed cold, or reheated, and the warmed-over 20 of preventive development of warmed-over flavor flavor will have been prevented or at least inhibited when contained in an amount up to at least as great as very substantially. By cooling the cooked meat we 2 percent but that at levels above about 1 percent there mean that we are reducing its temperature substantially is detectable odor of the additive itself. However, the below the cooking temperature, suitably below 50F. odor characteristic of gamma-pyrone is fragrant and (10C.). warmed-over flavor does not normally decan be tolerated. velop while the meat is held at or near the temperature n further pl n i n T III and T h at which it is first cooked, but once the factors are defirst column describes the kind of meat used and identiveloped which produce warmed-over flavor they are fies the gamma-pyrone which was added. The second not destroyed by heating even to cooking temperature. column gives the concentration of the gamma-pyrone Also, we do not believe that warmed-over flavor is decompound in terms of the dry weight of the compound veloped while meat is frozen. Therefore, in practicing based on the weight of the meat treated. The third colour method the meat is cooled from its cooking temumn gives the results of the subjective odor test, and perature to below 50F. (10C.) and is stored at a temthe fourth column gives the value obtained in a TBA perature above freezing for a period in excess of 20 test. The TBA test is a chemical test which measures minutes, suitably as long as several days, in the presthe extent of warmed-over flavor development in meats ence of the gamma-pyrone agent to inhibit the warmedand is more particularly described in an article congver flaygr A g A V, WWW tained in volume 37, page 44 of the Journal of American Oil Chemists Society by B. G. Tarladgis, B. M. The following Tables I, H and Ill contain data from Watts, M. T. Younathan and L. R. Dugan, Jr., 1960, the series of experiments which demonstrate the effi- 4O entitled A Distillation Method for the Quantitative cacyof different gamma-pyrone compounds forthein: Determination of Malonaldehyde in Rancid Foods.

TABLE I TBA VALUE TREATMENT CoNCENTRATioN ODOR (ABSORBANCE Control, pork positive warmed-over flavor 0. l 38 Pork 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone 0.l no detectable warmed-over flavor 0.030 Control, lamb positive warmed-over flavor 0.223 Lamb 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone 0.1 no detectable warmed-over flavor 0.066 Control. white turkey meat positive warmed-over flavor 0.3 l 5 White turkey meat 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone 0.! no detectable warmed-over flavor 0.] l6 Control, veal strong warmed-over flavor 0.332 Veal 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone 0.l no detectable warmed-over flavor 0.094

TABLE ll TBA VALUE TREATMENT CONCENTRATION ODOR (ABSORBANCE) Control, pork positive warmed-over flavor 0.306 Pork 3-hydroxy-2-ethyl-4-pyrone 0.1 no detectable warmed-over flavor 0.007 Control, beef positive warmed-over flavor 0.335 Beef+ 3-hydroxy-2-ethyl4-pyrone 0.l no detectable wanned-over flavor 0.037 Control. white turkey meat positive warmed-over flavor 0.532 White turkey meat 3-hydroxy-2-ethyl-4-pyrone 0.] no detectable warmed-over flavor 0.038 Control, dark turkey meat positive warmed-over flavor 0.500 Dark turkey meat 0.1 no detectable warmed-over flavor 0.072

TABLE III CONCENTRATION TBA VAlLUE TREATMENT ODOR (ABSORBANCE) Control, pork positive warmed-over flavor 0.260 Pork 5-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)- 4-pyrone 0.1 no detectable warmed-over flavor 0.013 Pork 5-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)- 4-pyrone 0.05 no detectable warmed-over flavor 0.017 Control, beef positive warmed-over flavor 0.3l 1 Beef 5'l1ydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)- 4-pyrone i 0.1 no detectable wanned-over flavor 0.037 Control, white turkey meat positive warmed-over flavor 0.505 White turkey meat 5-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-4-pyrone 2 no detectable warmed-over flavor 0.024 Control, dark turkey meat 7 positive warmed-over flavor 0.395 Dark turkey meat i -hydroxy-2-( hydroxymethyl)-4-pyrone 0.2 no detectable warmed-over flavor 0.000

TABLE IV TBA VALUE TREATMENT CONCENTRATION ODOR (ABSORBANCE) Control, beef strong warmed-over flavor 0.216 Beef 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone 0.5 no detectable warmed-over flavor 0.028

slight fragrant odor of the additive Beef 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone 1.0 no detectable warmed-over flavor 0.044 noticable fragrant odor of the additive Beef 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone l.5 no detectable warmed-over flavor 0.048

positive odor characteristic of the additive Beef 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone 2.0 no detectable warmed-over flavor 0.031

strong odor characteristic of the additive While in the foregoing detailed description specific conditions have been given in the carrying out of our improved method and we have given numerous specific examples in which our improved method has been practiced, it is understood that many variations may be made in this method and that all such variations are to be deemed within the spirit of this description and within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A method for inhibiting the development of warmed-over flavor in uncured cooked meats comprising adding to the uncured meat a gamma-pyrone having a hydroxyl group at its third or fifth position and in the amount of from 0.05 to 2 percent based on the weight of the meat and the dry weight of the gammapyrone, cooking the meat, cooling the meat to a temperature below 50F. and storing the meat with said gamma-pyrone incorporated therein for at least minutes at a temperature above the freezing point of the meat.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the gamma-pyrone is added to the meat before it is cooked. H

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the gamma-pyrone is added after the meat is cooked.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said meat is ground and said gamma-pyrone is mixed with the ground meat.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gamma-pyrone is added in dry form to the meat.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gamma-pyrone is added in the form of an aqueous solution to the meat.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein said solution is injected into the meat.

8. A method as set forth in claim I wherein said gamma-pyrone is v3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gamma-pyrone is 3-hydroxy-2-ethyl-4-pyrone.

10. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said stored meat is reheated to a temperature above F. -l

is 5-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-4- 

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the gamma-pyrone is added to the meat before it is cooked.
 3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the gamma-pyrone is added after the meat is cooked.
 4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said meat is ground and said gamma-pyrone is mixed with the ground meat.
 5. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gamma-pyrone is added in dry form to the meat.
 6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gamma-pyrone is added in the form of an aqueous solution to the meat.
 7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein said solution is injected into the meat.
 8. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gamma-pyrone is 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone.
 9. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gamma-pyrone is 3-hydroxy-2-ethyl-4-pyrone.
 10. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gamma-pyrone is 5-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-4-pyrone.
 11. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said stored meat is reheated to a temperature above 90*F. 